Drawing in a deep breath, Mr. Xie responded, "you are upset and rightly so. But now is not the time to bring this up. Unfortunately, you are also correct about the last part and we will have to wait before we can tell him about your marriage. I am asking you to have faith in me. Ever since you came into our lives, I have treated you like my daughter and I am promising you that very soon, things will go back to the way they were. For now, I can only suggest that you return to Shanghai and get everything in place for Tang"s recuperation. We would be back within a couple of days as well. Like the doctor said, the familiar environment and routine would help him regain his memories faster."Mei Zhen deeply resented the fact that she was being sent away but there was nothing that she could do about it at present, without sounding churlish. She consoled herself that it was only a matter of thirty six hours and then things would be back in her control.
She nodded in agreement and went inside the room to visit Tang along with Mr. Xie.
"If this is year 2019, where is Jia Li? If we are in China, why is she not around me? Has something happened to her? Was she also involved in the accident?" Tang asked his mother agitatedly.
Before she could come up with an answer, Mr. Xie who had overheard the questions answered, "don"t worry. She is absolutely fine. In fact, she was here through the night with you. We sent her back to rest a little and also to get the place ready for you to stay and recuperate in. A lot has happened since 2013 and you shall discover it all slowly. For now, you need to stay calm and not stress about anything else."
Tang looked at his father with something akin to relief in his eyes, "you mean, you have accepted Jia Li"s presence in my life? Wait, have we…I mean, is she married to me already? Dammit, why can"t I remember anything?
Mrs. Xie gave a panicky look to her husband. She could see her son getting worked up by the second.
"You aren"t married yet. Both of you have been busy with your careers till date," she declared on an impulse.
Mr. Xie gave a start at his wife"s words. The situation was unravelling faster than he could have imagined. Looking at Mei Zhen"s stormy face, he feared a reaction from her but she only levelled an accusing stare at him before leaving the room.
"Chu, why don"t you step out and make that call to Jia Li? Ask her to come back to the hospital," he said in a conciliatory tone.
"Make sure you apprise her of the situation well," he told Chu in an undertone when she pa.s.sed by him.
She gave a discreet nod and went out.
Wei had forced Jia Li to push the work away and sit down for breakfast at the inst.i.tute.
"You need to eat. Take it as an order from your boss," he said sternly.
"Well, I wouldn"t mind being bossed around like this once in a while," Ethan smiled and came up to them.
"How is Tang doing now? I thought you would have been at the hospital," Jia Li was surprised to see him there.
Ethan gave a shrug and sat down. He gratefully accepted a steaming cup of tea which she handed over to him.
"Considering that they can"t explain my presence there, I have been sent away," he said ruefully.
"Wait, what does that mean?" Wei asked Ethan.
"Ah, Tang doesn"t know that you and Chu are engaged," he said almost immediately, identifying the problem.
Jia Li"s phone rang. It was Chu calling her.
"How is he doing now? Has he hurt his head that bad for him to have lost his memories?" concern was visible in Jia Li"s tone as she asked the questions to Chu.
"His physical injuries are not much, as you have seen yourself. The neurosurgeon said that big brother needs to be kept calm and happy under all circ.u.mstances in order to avoid any impediment to his recovery. The thing is, uh…that he is asking for you repeatedly," Chu told her, hesitatingly.
"I"ll be right there," Jia Li didn"t wait for Chu to finish saying anything post that.
"Ethan, can you take me to the hospital please?" she said urgently, pus.h.i.+ng the food away.
Things were moving too fast for Wei to make sense of them but the minute he heard her say that, he reached out to hold her firmly by the arm.
"I understand that he is hurt and is probably asking for you. But for your sake, I want you to keep in mind the fact that HE is the one who has lost his memories, and no one else, including YOU," he said in a clear, loud voice.